Tamiya 1/48 Lockheed Martin F-16c (Block 32)...Warning Pic Heavy.

[langy71]

Here's some pics of my recently finished F-16c,

All in all a pretty straight forward build, (Typically made harder by myself when i decided to add a bit of extra detail to the undercarriage bays...lol),

My only complaint is that seeing that this is basically the down scaled version of Tamiya's own 1/32 F-16c, there seems to be a fair few Injection pin marks on various parts..namely the Undercarriage bays, maybe Tamiya should revisit the way this kit is moulded..

Also i added Tamiya's own 'up detail' parts to create the Mid Life Upgrade parts, (Scab plates on the fuselage, and other strengthening plate on the air-frame), a point to note is that the Tamiya Up Detail parts seem to be made from spring steel, and are hard to bend unless you anneal them till they are cherry red,before cooling down..

Anyhow, on to the pics.

[langy71]

Damn...just spotted I've not weathered the gun port....

[colin m]

A great build Chris, and a 'busy' looking aircraft.

[rickoshea52]

Very nice. I’m intrigued by the different GBU guidance head colours. Did you use the kit GBU’s?

[papa 695]

Very nice indeed.

[adt70hk]

Chris

Sorry completely missed this. Looks very good indeed.

Very well done.

Andrew

[boatman]

HI Chris this plane looks real to me an very very detailed how did you do all the rivets markings an such ?
chris

[langy71]

Very nice. I’m intrigued by the different GBU guidance head colours. Did you use the kit GBU’s?

Thanks buddy,
yeah the GBU'S are the kit supplied ones, I did a bit of 'googling' and discovered that the head colours do vary in colour, so I thought why not ?, I think it adds a bit more visual interest to items that could end up being just boring and green.. oh and I did discover that despite how Tamiya (and most manufacturers ) mould them, the very end section of the guidance unit...(the seeker head).. does droop downwards until the aircraft is moving ..(it's on a 'free moving' pivot), so i gently bent them downwards to match this... :thumb2:

[langy71]

Very nice indeed.

THX papa..:thumb2:

[langy71]

Chris

Sorry completely missed this. Looks very good indeed.

Very well done.

Andrew

Cheers Andy..:thumb2:

[langy71]

HI Chris this plane looks real to me an very very detailed how did you do all the rivets markings an such ?
chris

Hi Chris, glad you like how it looks,
To do the panel lining and rivet work, I began with a slightly lighter shade of the top colour, and sprayed into the middle of all the panels, just to fade them down a little bit.

After this had dried, it was gloss coated to protect the paintwork, and then a clay wash (by flory models)..... was brushed all over the upper.....and eventually lower.. surfaces, making sure you get it into all the nooks and crannies, it was allowed to dry and then wiped over with a square of damp kitchen towel, this lifts away all the extra clay wash, leaving just enough to add some depth to all the lines surface detail...This is then allowed to dry before sealing it in with another varnish coat...:thumb2:

it's brilliant stuff, my go-to when applying panel line washes and general grime on builds.

here's a video from flory models explaining it ... probably better than i have to be honest..lol

[Andy the Sheep]

Chris, a very nice F16 but, if I may, what I appreciated above all is the definition of "Veteran".:thumb2:
Well done in both cases!:smiling:

[minitnkr]

Good lord, that's a lot of decals. A real beauty.

[flyjoe180]

Wonderful build Chris, lots of detail in there. Looks great in those markings with the red tail fin.